Woodlice

[givemethecreeps]

A few years ago DP and I used to rent a house which was infested with woodlice, it was a horrible old, cold house which I couldn't wait to leave, I would wake up in the morning and the kitchen would be plastered in them, it reduced me to tears on a few occasions as I was so fed up. Not just the kitchen, they could be found in any rooms. They are just one thing I absolutely can't abide, they make me feel sick.

We now live in our own home, not an old house (around 10 years old) no damp at all. Been here 6 months and in the past week I've came across 3 dead ones. One on my landing and 2 in the living room. Just came across another one by the side of my sofa. I have to deal with disposing of them as DP is away during the week. Is there anyway at all I can stop these horrible bastards coming in and making me feel one edge? I refuse to walk anywhere in the house without slippers on now. I'm inspecting everything to determine whether it is just sock fluff of woodlice. Very OTT but the last experience scarred me a little and this time I don't think DP will allow us to move because I found a few woodlice. Do I need to put the heating on more, will that help? Advice welcome!

Bump

Woodlice don't generally seek out modern houses because they like the damp.
Obviously an infestation like you described in the other house is unpleasant.
If you're finding the odd one or two it's likely they got there by accident, on clothing etc so I doubt there's much you can do

We have that problem - we’re in an old house.
It’s now rainy weather and lots of fallen rotting leaves outside so there are lots of them and they come in through little cracks in your wall. It sounds as if your house is warm enough because they did when they come in.
So focus on keeping any leaves etc cleared away from outside your house. Check your walls/doors along the bottom, inside and out, for any holes or cracks and fill them in if so. That helped for us!

Can't help, but I sympathise. We've just bought a derelict, damp house and they are everwhere. I found one today squished between my sheet and mattress protector!

I dont know if spraying insect spray across doorways would stop their path? A glue trap crossed my mind, but they might just walk over it. Keep up updated if you find a solution.

We used to have a newbuild with lots in and a friend of mine said she has seen more and more. Maybe there are just more of them around!

@Coronawireless

We have that problem - we’re in an old house. It’s now rainy weather and lots of fallen rotting leaves outside so there are lots of them and they come in through little cracks in your wall. It sounds as if your house is warm enough because they did when they come in. So focus on keeping any leaves etc cleared away from outside your house. Check your walls/doors along the bottom, inside and out, for any holes or cracks and fill them in if so. That helped for us!

I mean your house is warm and dry enough because they DIE when they come in.

My god I would die if I came across one in the bed! There isn't any leaves in the back but there is a few where my gravel is at the front (but not right at my front door, there is paving first) so I'm going to borrow my parents leaf blower which I was planning on doing anyway to get rid of them.

He insisted I must of brought the first one in on my shoe but since I've been WFH all week and haven't really left the house and there's been a few more so I don't think that's the case. I hadn't seen any at all since the past week or so, I'm just so worried incase it is a repeat of the last time, I know it sounds so silly but I can't help it. In the living room there is small gaps in areas between wood floor and skirting but since I hadn't seen any before didn't think that was an issue.

Completely irrelevant, but when I was a child in London the woodlice would curl up into a ball when touched. West Midlands woodlice don't.

Ha I’ve noticed they don’t curl up anymore! I live in A house built in 80’s but is definitely not damp and I have loads! They particularly like my bedroom 🤢
I’ve always meant to google why so hopefully I’ll find out in this thread!

Mine are about 80% dead when I find them but if there alive they are pretty brazen. They give zero shits about marching through the middle of carpet in a room full of people.

@Newdonewhugh

Mine are about 80% dead when I find them but if there alive they are pretty brazen. They give zero shits about marching through the middle of carpet in a room full of people.

🤣 absolutely, why do they assume they have the right to invade my home and put me on edge' I'm going to see what DP can do with the skirting board gaps at the weekend as I am useless at these things, but lord knows how they're getting upstairs. 🤢

Do you have damp in the attic / leaky roof? Lots of dead leaves on roof? Ivy?

@Coronawireless

Do you have damp in the attic / leaky roof? Lots of dead leaves on roof? Ivy?

No I'm pretty sure we have none of that! I haven't been in the attic myself but DP said it's fine up there.

We have an electronic plug in device that repels them - it’s actually worked!

Something like this: www.amazon.co.uk/CRITTER-Repeller-Ultrasonic-Electromagnetic-Indoor/dp/B01BNUJEKW?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Completely irrelevant, but when I was a child in London the woodlice would curl up into a ball when touched. West Midlands woodlice don't.

The ones that curl up are called pill bugs.

@Dutchesss

Completely irrelevant, but when I was a child in London the woodlice would curl up into a ball when touched. West Midlands woodlice don't.

The ones that curl up are called pill bugs.

And some of them are millipedes, not woodlice.

Anyhow, the OP could always invite a Woodlouse Eating Spider of two to live inside.

Feeling a sudden urge to poke some woodlice and see what happens. Like the 2020 equivalent of those curling fortune-telling fish in christmas crackers.

I keep pet isopods (Woodlice) you would hate my house op, I have so many colonies of the things

If you want to see some super cute ones though search rubber ducky isopods they might make you feel less creeped out 😂

Honestly though they need a wet area and are attracted to rotten wood and leaf litter, you are less likely to find them if there are none of those food sources about

@Kimblebee19

Feeling a sudden urge to poke some woodlice and see what happens. Like the 2020 equivalent of those curling fortune-telling fish in christmas crackers.

Look for ones that seem more 'rectangular', are black rather than brown and have a white border around them - it's easy to see differences when you lift a plant pot and the majority are standard Woodlice - they will definitely roll up.

Mutters something about We made Our Own Entertainment back in my way

[quote Funkypolar]We have an electronic plug in device that repels them - it’s actually worked!

Something like this: www.amazon.co.uk/CRITTER-Repeller-Ultrasonic-Electromagnetic-Indoor/dp/B01BNUJEKW?tag=mumsnetforu03-21[/quote]
Now that sounds interesting, please tell me more! It's out of stock though :( how much are they? And do you just plug them in and it stops them coming in the house?

www.pesthelp.co.uk/electronic-woodlice-and-earwig-repeller-4000-329-p.asp

This is the one we have. No woodlice seen since.

@Funkypolar

www.pesthelp.co.uk/electronic-woodlice-and-earwig-repeller-4000-329-p.asp

This is the one we have. No woodlice seen since.

Ooh I'll have to order one. How long have you had it for and did you have a big problem with them beforehand?

I put ant killer powder down the cracks in the floors. It worked well.

I started off my sweeping them off the walls with a dustpan and brush and putting them outside in the hedge but there were just so so many of them. If you turned the light on late at night in one bit of the house the walls were crawling!

@Thecathouse- Those rubber ducky woodlice look so unreal, I initially thought they were made of plastic!!! Actually rather cute.

We have a fair few - they seem to fall off the beams onto the table next to me when I'm working. Scares the bejesus out of me!!

Ours curl up. Cotswolds.